Development of a grid-cell topographic surface for Okefenokee Swamp, Georgia

Wetlands
By: , and 

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Abstract

The Okefenokee Swamp is a 160,000 ha freshwater wetland in Southeast Georgia, USA that developed in a landscape basin. Hydrologic variability across the swamp suggests that water-surface elevations are not uniform across the swamp. The topographic surface map discussed herein was developed to describe the swamp topography at local to landscape scales and relate the swamp peat- and sand-surface elevations to elevation above mean sea level. These data were then used to relate water-surface elevations across the swamp so that the swamp hydrologic environment could be described spatially and temporally with a spatial hydrology model. The swamp was divided into 5 sub-basins that reflect similar seasonal hydrodynamics but also indicate local conditions unique to the basins. Topographic gradient influences water-level dynamics in the western swamp (2 sub-basins), which is dominated by the Suwannee River floodplain. The eastern swamp (3 sub-basins) is terraced, and the regional hydrology is driven less by topographic gradient and more by precipitation and evapotranspiration volumes. The relatively steep gradient and berm and lake features in the western swamp's Suwannee River floodplain limit the spatial extent of the Suwannee River sill's effects, whereas system sensitivities to evapotranspiration rates are more important drivers of hydrology in the eastern swamp.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Development of a grid-cell topographic surface for Okefenokee Swamp, Georgia
Series title Wetlands
DOI 10.1672/0277-5212(2000)020<0487:DOAGTS>2.0.CO;2
Volume 20
Issue 3
Year Published 2000
Language English
Publisher Springer
Contributing office(s) Florida Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit
Description 13 p.
First page 487
Last page 499
Country United States
State Georgia
Other Geospatial Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Okefenokee Swamp
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